


Ictu Oculi

by orphan_account



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Awkwardness, Blood and Gore, Death, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Modern Character in Thedas, Modern Girl in Thedas, Platonic Relationships, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:09:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25311388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Follow two friends entering Thedas, Drem more than aware of the coming Blight and Josephine less than.Big steps. Little steps. Two earthquakes just walked into Thedas.
Relationships: TBD - Relationship
Kudos: 5





	Ictu Oculi

When Drem ended up in Thedas, it was not a showy or loud entrance. 

There was no grand green portal stealing them away from home. No holy figure bathed in blinding light decreeing destiny in another world. No catastrophe or impending doom to run from either. No build up or warning. Nope, it was a quiet entrance.

A flicker. A blink.

There was the gross peeling walls of theirs and Josephine’s apartment while they chilled on another spring day. Drem ticking and tacking another review in, whilst Josephine scrolled through her phone. A warm silence between them as the fan whirred and rattled a familiar harmony. Occasionally the creek of the building chiming in lazily.

Blink and you’ll miss it. 

Suddenly, Drem’s on their rear, face to landscape with overhanging dusty purple skies, dogs barking in the distance, and miles upon miles of forest with only the whistling of wind and dull chirping of birds to tell where Drem was. 

Drem’s first couple of seconds in Thedas, were spent reeling from mental whiplash, staring, and silence. The seconds after were spent pinching their face in from the overwhelming wet dog smell and sudden sharp chill that had Drem cramming their hands into their pits. 

Drem’s quiet reel was cut short, as a piercing screech filled the air. Sending a flock of birds into flight, Drem whirling around to the familiar voice as they scrambled off the chilled forest floor. The echo of the scream still treading, Drem looked into the wide eyed darting expression of Josephine Jacobson. Hands clasped around her phone with her arms hugged to her chest, clad in her strawberry pajama pants and rip off emoji shirt with a sleeping cap on- reminding Drem of their own baggy DC comic logo pants and Beavis and Butthead shirt. Cuffed with dirt and soaking at the edges now.

Looking like a newborn deer, Josephine spun around frantically. Scanning and searching. For what, Drem wasn’t sure. Drem called to Josephine. No response as the woman continued her hushed panic, whispering things Drem couldn’t hear. Not fully aware of what they were doing, Drem closed the distance between the two and pulled Josephine’s hand into theirs. Saying it’s okay and I’m here, repeating the phrases until they felt alien. Until Drem wasn’t sure who they were saying it to. A silence grew as the phrases grew quieter, dying in Drem’s throat as they looked to Josephine, taking her hand away from Drem’s.

Leveling Drem with a calmed but concerned look. Drem felt a pang in their chest as a seriousness enveloped Josephine’s face. Drem only just then realized how hard their heart was pounding and how much taller the forest was. A thousand questions danced behind Josephine’s eyes at that moment. But only one left her mouth as a harsh breeze swept in.

“Where are we?”

The two had stumbled through the darkening and bitter forest. Both silently agreeing that neither had any clue where they were, and they needed to get someplace warm quickly. Only the ascending moon in its toenail shaped glory allowed any light. And that was if the trees above decided if there would be gaps.

Leading the two, Drem would throw a glance back or mutter a, ‘how are you holding up?’ To which, Josephine replied with her own arsenal of snips and comebacks. Things like, ‘You should invest in wrinkle cream, your frown wrinkles are legend’, ‘you worry any harder and you’ll transcend’ or ‘you’re not my dad-mom.’ Drem would huff and grumble, but a small smile would tug at Drem’s lips until a quiet set in. As heavy muteness haunted the gaps between their back and forths, Drem found themself grateful for Josephine and her voice. 

They trekked across the sloping and dipping forest terrain. Puddles and mud drenched their socks and pant legs, staining their legs underneath. Twigs and broken branches jabbed the soles of their feet. A new stink began to mix with the ever present dog smell as the dusk purple gave way to a deep blue. Swamp-forest, fun. Drem felt their frown deepened into a tired scowl. _My wrinkles_ **_will_ ** _be legend_ thought Drem.

Drem wanted to think they and Josephine would find their way through the already dangerous forest to some safe warm haven unfettered. Drem stupidly hoped even for the only interruption being a hermit with an idea of where they were, wi-fi, and a compatible charger for Josephine’s phone. 

Drem jumped as an arm flew around them

Startling straight as Josephine squeezed her arm around them and followed the shape of Josephine’s pointed finger with a swelling, “Look! A light, there are people out here!” Drem craned their head to see over their own hill of foliage in a break from the trees, a light. Dancing between orange and yellow, a fire. Drem felt their body perk up alongside Josephine’s. 

Drem’s smile stalled, the light was a fire-that sat upon a torch. Whoever was holding it couldn’t be gauged despite the torch light. The fire only lit up the silver armor and helm of the person and three other similarly dressed individuals, engrossed in a conversation-or at least not looking around, armor wasn’t readable. Squinting at the armor of the closest of the three people, Drem felt a terror creep in. Sword up, four spectrals, with two on each side. 

“-Rem! Helloooo! Anybody home, let’s go talk. The sooner we do, the sooner we’re home!”

Drem snapped to the present and hushed Josephine harsher than any librarian alive and pulled the woman into a crouch and said the first thing in their head in a strained whisper, “No!”

“What do you me-”

“Whisper, Josephine!” Drem chided in a sharp hush. Pressing a finger to their lip with a stern glare.

Josephine gaped, as her eyes studied Drem. Hands opening and closing until she settled for a mildly confused unblinking stare and partially open fist, whispering sharply, “Don’t you wanna go home Drem? Cause I _really_ wanna go home, Drem.”

Drem’s brow unknit itself “I know you do Josie, but-”

“But we’re just sitting here in ass-grass, with our potential way home,” Josephine jabbed a finger towards the armoured people in the clearing, “over there! I’m a big girl Drem, I know stranger danger. These people could be nuts, they’re randos in armor. Crazy cosplayers! But we have to take this chance,” patting Drem’s knee with a small smile, index finger in the air, “once. And if I’m wrong, you get to say those magic words while we’re running for our lives m’kay mom-dad.” Booping Drem, Josephine pulled herself to her full height and with a full chest of swamp air yelled as she made her way into the clearing towards the armoured group down the hill. “Hey! Hello, over here!”

Every nerve and muscle in Drem’s body cringed into a tense ball as their voice left them and all they could do was peek over the foliage of the hill as the shape of Josephine made her way down. 

“Halt!”

Josephine’s shape on the hill paused as the group from the clearing neared the bottom of the hill. All three casting a ring of light with torches. As the group neared, armor clinking, Drem saw the red robed at their wastes, the outline of a scabbard barely visible against the red of two. The one leading didn’t seem to have one. 

Not to mention their height compared to Josephine who was a solid five ten. They all had to be at least six five or more as Josephine shrunk in their presence. _Armored giants practically_ Drem thought, where Drem was only five two on a good day.

Drem felt Josephine’s confusion as she no doubt examined and sized up the group. “Uh okay. I just wanted to know if guys happen to have a phone we-I could use.” 

A selfish part of Drem wanted to palm their face for Josephine’s slip up.

“We? What’s a phone?” A deep voice questioned. Originating from the armored person on the leader’s left. 

“Ser look at her clothes, never seen a chasind wear anything that bright. Or any mage-not even Orlesian ones” Said a raspy shrill voice, the person on the leader’s right.

Drem felt a particular dread creep into their stomach at the groups questioning. _Move_ Drem told their body. _Please_.

“I’m sorry is-like is this some sort of larping thing? Orlesian? Mage? What are you talking about?” Josephine probed, even if Drem couldn’t see her face they could hear the confusion and feel her frustration. Josephine shook her head, pressing further. “Please can you guys just cut the act and let me and my friend get out of this forest!” Josephine snapped, hands flying up.

_Just move. Move. Please._ Drem didn’t know who they were begging at that moment.

_Ssshing_ , Josephine’s form jolted to a stiff stillness, hands still in the air. Frozen. A sword gleamed amidst the torch light, from the person on the leader’s left. 

“What the hell ge-”

_Move. Please._

“That’s enough from you mage! Quiet yourself!” Roared the even but booming voice of the leader. “Not another step or sound, less you wish to be cut down maleficar!”

A shape trudged behind the torch lights. Swamp-forest. Dog smell. Drem didn’t want to believe the insignia or the group.

Templars.

Time felt slow, as Drem saw eight giant black eyes glint in the torch light behind the templars. 

_Move._

Drem’s body came alive, lurching towards Josephine. 

Drem tried to unsee the leader of the armored giant’s head crunching like cheap aluminum in the spider’s maw. Sword falling with a thud. A pointed scream splintering the air. The templar’s peers planted in horror. Josephine planted the same, staring on.

Drem took Josephine’s arm in a desperate vice grip and gave a solid tug away from the scene. Bringing the woman and her legs to life. Eyes alive with something distant.

The forest and hills blurred as the two ran. 

Drem couldn’t tell what sound wanted filled their ears as they all vied to fill them. Blending together in a violent cacophony. Their own heart pounding. Screams. Legs thudding into the forest floor. A violent hiss. Armor clanking than crunching under. Sick quelching. A cry. Thundering roar, shaking Drem's core. Screaming fire.

The raspy shrill voice screaming for help. Anyone. Please help. Fire crackling. Armour squealing like whining grease.

A light stamped out.

The noise grew into distant white noise until it was only Drem and Josephine’s legs moving through the underbrush of the forest and their own breathing filling their ears as the underbrush snatched at them. 

Exhaustion ate the edges of Drem’s body and their chest ached. When did Josephine start carrying them? Drem was tired.

“I am too mom-dad.” Josephine murmured, holding Drem closer to her chest.

Drem must be really tired cause Josephine can read minds now. Drem wanted to hug Josephine but their arms felt like weights. Drem wished they weren’t so tired.

“Go to sleep stinky.”

But Josephine has a smidgen of ketchup on her face. Drem tried reaching to brush it off her but Josephine ducked away. 

Drem's vision started fuzzing at the edges.

A couple of rain drops pelted Drem but no more followed after.

“Sleep, stinky.”

Drem’s eyelids slammed closed like a heavy door. The spaces between the trees whistling a familiar harmony that was too far away for Drem to recognize as they drifted to sleep. 

"You were right." A whisper.

* * *

When Drem stirred awake, a smokey smell filled their nose. Breath hitching in their chest, Drem bolted up. 

Blinking out the stars in their eyes Drem notes the dimming fire pit, and overall cabin they’re in. Pools of morning sun streamed in through slits in the structure Drem hesitantly dubbed windows. Lighting up the circular shape of the cabin, with the fire pit center and the surrounding floor was elevated. The walls and floor were bare, save the door, a meek pile of firewood, ax, and two piles of furs-beds are what Drem would call them if they were in a better mood. 

Shrugging off the patchwork of furs, tawny brown skin glinting in the sun, Drem immediately noted their chest. Sans their binder but there was no need for it. A calming euphoria flooded Drem, as their hand ghosted over their chest. _Definitely not on Earth anymore_ Drem thought absently.

With a sudden rattle, the cabin door slammed open. In the doorway, with morning rays and misty pink hues streaming through her curly mane and shimmering off her rusty brown skin stood Josephine Jacobson. With a manic expression, wearing medieval looking furs. With another set of furs under her arm and a pack under her other. Drem felt themself flush as their nudeness under their pile of furs dawned on them.

“Hey Drem, I don’t think we’re on Earth anymore.” Josephine crowed with a small chuckle, chucking the pile of furs onto Drem with a thump. 

Quirking a brow, Drem looked to Josephine. “Where did you get these and that pack? How did you find this place?! And what do you mean _not_ on Earth?” 

The previous night ran through Drem’s head as their eyes searched Josephine’s face for an answer. Torch light, glinting armor. Templars.Screams, giant spider. Feet pounding and earth sliding under.

Drem wanted to believe it was a dream-or a graphic nightmare. Josephine was supposed to be proof that it was all a dream, what could convince her that the stunt from the night before wasn’t anything but an intense fever dream or drug induced hallucination. 

Drem didn’t even want to believe their own conclusion of their new reality. Despite its- _all_ of its...realness.

Josephine batted her hand in the air, brushing off Drem’s assault of questions, the door clattering to a close behind her. Josephine crossed the cabin towards Drem, crouching to their level. “When I say not Earth, I mean Earth never had magic ladies who turn into other things. Not to mention,” Josephine dove into her leather pack. Fishing out a tall piece of browned worn down and wrinkled parchment, unfurling it to reveal a map, “the geography. Look familiar Drem? Cause I personally don’t recall myself or my ancestors setting shop up here.”

The continent was familiar but alien to Drem as they scanned the names dotting the map’s surface written in slim inked calligraphy. 

Then it clicked.

Fereldan, Nevarra, Orlais, Par Vollen, Free Marches, Anderfels, Seheron, and Tevinter Imperium. With Thedas scribed on the far right in bulky calligraphy. No wonder Josephine thought Drem knew, pieces of this map were pulled up on late game nights behind a TV screen. Josephine had asked about this and that when she was awake to see Drem play.

Looking at the map than to the now practically vibrating Josephine. Drem felt a headache approaching as their head sagged into their hands. “Fuck. We’re in a video game world.” Drem paused. “Wait, magic ladies who do _what_ Josephine?”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and critique are welcomed.


End file.
